Network-based software extensions

• US 7,000,230 B1
• Filed: 06/21/2000
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Fisher, Oliver G., Raman, Suryanarayanan V., Erickson, Paul R., Murray, Michael C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Ted T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEELMAN, MARY J
• Application Number:
  US09/599,048
• Time in Patent Office: 2,064 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-178
• US Class Current: 717/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

Methods and systems for network-based or Internet-based software delivery are described. In one embodiment, an application program or software platform resides on a client. The program or platform is configured so that it is extensible based on software extensions that are deliverable over a network such as the Internet. Various extensions can be developed by third party developers for incorporation into the program or platform. In the described embodiment, extension files that comprise a software extension are hosted on an Internet server. Additional files are also hosted on the Internet server and describe aspects of the software extension. These additional files include files that describe a logical attachment of the extension to the program or platform, as well as files that describe the location of the extension files. Extensions are incorporated on a client by navigating to a particular Internet site through which the extensions can be accessed. The files describing the extension files are downloaded on the client. These files tell the client where the particular extension is to be plugged in, as well as where to find the appropriate extension files and how to download them. The extension files are then downloaded and incorporated into the program or platform.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

describing one or more software extensions using descriptions, the extensions being configured for incorporation in a software platform executing on a client; and

delivering the descriptions of the one or more extensions to the client via a network, the descriptions being configured for use in downloading the software extensions via the network;

said acts of describing and delivering being configured to enable software to be delivered over the network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the descriptions comprise a tag-based, hierarchical language.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the descriptions comprise XML descriptions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the network comprises the Internet; and

descriptions comprise XML descriptions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the software extensions are configured to make context-based changes in the operation of the software platform, the context-based changes being associated with the computing context of a user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the software platform is configured to provide a single application program having multiple different functionalities that can enable a user to accomplish multiple different tasks.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the software extensions are configured to make context-based changes in the operation of one or more of the multiple different functionalities that change the manner in which a user can accomplish a task associated with a particular functionality.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the software extensions provide user interface elements.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the software extensions provide behaviors, components, or objects.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the software extensions provide store elements.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the software extensions provide user-defined elements.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the software extensions provide one or more of the following:

user interface elements;

behaviors, components, or objects;

store elements; and

user-defined elements.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one extension provides an ability to add new points of extensibility.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the describing of the one or more software extensions comprises describing the extensions using an extension description file (EDF) comprising an XML file that describes a logical attachment to the software platform.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the descriptions contains an implementation of all or part of the functionality of an extension.

17. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to:

describe one or more software extensions using extensible markup language (XML), the extensions being configured for incorporation in a software platform comprising a single application program, the single application program having multiple different functionalities that can enable a user to accomplish multiple different tasks; and

deliver XML descriptions of the one or more extensions to the client via the Internet, the descriptions being configured for use in downloading the software extensions via the Internet;

wherein causing said computer system to describe one or more extensions and deliver XML descriptions enables software to be delivered over the Internet.

18. A method for delivering software via a network comprising:

describing one or more software extensions using one or more descriptive files, the extensions being configured for incorporation in a software program executing on a client;

associating the one or more descriptive files with one or more associated extension files that are useable to provide a program functionality;

storing the descriptive files and associated extension files in a network-accessible location; and

delivering the descriptive files and the associated extension files of the one or more extensions to the client via a network.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said describing comprises describing individual software extensions with at least one XML file, including a description of a logical attachment to the software program, and a description of one or more physical files and/or resources that are used in a software extension.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the software extensions are configured to make context-based changes in the operation of the software application, the context-based changes being associated with the computing context of a user.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the software program comprises multiple different functionalities that can enable a user to accomplish multiple different tasks, the one or more software extensions being configured to make context-based changes in the operation of one or more of the different functionalities that change the manner in which a user can accomplish a task associated with a particular functionality.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the software program comprises a single navigable window that can be navigated by a user between the different functionalities.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more software extensions provide user interface elements.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more software extensions provide behaviors, components, or objects.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more software extensions provide store elements.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more software extensions provide user-defined elements.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more software extensions provide one or more of the following:

user interface elements;

behaviors, components, or objects;

store elements; and

user-defined elements.

28. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, implement the method of claim 18.

29. A method comprising:

storing one or more extension definition files (EDFs) that describe a logical attachment to a software application program;

storing one or more extension files that correspond to the one or more EDFs and extend the software application program;

delivering, via a network, at least one EDF to a client; and

delivering, via the network, at least one extension file that corresponds to the at least one EDF to a client;

both of said acts of storing and both of said acts of delivering enabling software to be delivered over the network.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the EDFs are defined in a hierarchical language.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein said acts of storing are accomplished by hosting said files with an Internet server.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the EDFs comprise XML files.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the XML files comprise predefined tags that are associated with feature types that are to be added to the application program.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein one or more of the predefined tags correspond to user interface elements.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein one or more of the predefined tags correspond to services which can be behaviors, components, or objects.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein one or more of the predefined tags correspond to store elements.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein the XML files comprise user-defined tags that are associated with user-defined features that are to be added to the application program.

39. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, implement the method of claim 29.

40. A data structure embodied on a computer-readable medium comprising:

a first sub-structure indicative of a software extension that is to be incorporated in a software application program;

one or more second sub-structures associated with the first sub-structure and indicating feature types that are added by the extension to the application program; and

one or more third sub-structures associated with the one or more second sub-structures and indicating features of an associated feature type that are added by the extension.

41. The data structure of claim 40, wherein the one or more second sub-structures are children of the first sub-structures.

42. The data structure of claim 40, wherein the one or more third sub-structures are children of the one or more second sub-structures.

43. The data structure of claim 40, wherein the one or more second sub-structures are children of the first sub-structures, and the one or more third sub-structures are children of the one or more second sub-structures.

44. The data structure of claim 40, wherein the sub-structures comprise XML tags.

45. The data structure of claim 40, wherein the feature types comprise one or more of the following feature types:

user interface elements;

behaviors, components, or objects;

store elements; and

user-defined elements.

46. The data structure of claim 40, wherein the data structure comprises an open XML schema that can be extended.

47. The data structure of claim 40, wherein the data structure comprises an open XML schema that can be extended by third parties.

48. A method of delivering software via a network comprising:

navigating to a network site that maintains at least one software application program; and

downloading a software application program from the network site, the application program comprising multiple different functionalities that can assist a user in accomplishing different tasks, the software application program being configured to be extended with software extensions that are deliverable via a network and are described by at least one network-deliverable file.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the application program comprises a single navigable window that can be navigated by a user between the multiple different functionalities.

50. The method of claim 48 further comprising extending the software application program by adding at least one extension to the application program.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein said extending comprises:

using a link to navigate to a different network site that hosts one or more XML files that describe the extension, and extension files that are used to implement the extension; and

downloading the one or more XML files and the extension files to a client.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein one of the XML files comprises a file that logically describes an extension, and one of the XML files comprises a file that describes the extension files.

53. The method of claim 51, wherein the link is stored in a user preference.

54. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

navigate to a network site that maintains at least one software application program;

download a software application program comprising multiple different functionalities that can assist a user in accomplishing different tasks, the software application program being configured to be extended with software extensions that are deliverable via the network and described by at least one network-deliverable file; and

extend the software application program by adding at least one extension to the application program, the extension being added by using a link to navigate to a different network site that hosts one or more files that describe the extension, and extension files that are used to implement the extension and downloading the one or more files and the extension files to a client.

55. A method comprising:

accessing a Web site through which one or more software extensions can be obtained and through use of which software can be delivered;

receiving at least one file that describes at least one software extension using a hierarchical language that describes the software extension'"'"'s logical attachment to a software application program;

receiving one or more software extension files; and

installing the one or more software extension files based, at least in part, on the description contained in said at least one file.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the hierarchical language that describes the software extension'"'"'s logical attachment comprises a tag-based language.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein the hierarchical language that describes the software extension'"'"'s logical attachment comprises extensible markup language (XML).

58. The method of claim 55, wherein said installing comprises doing so without manipulating a client registry or any registry keys that are permanently persisted on the client machine.

59. The method of claim 55, further comprising determining whether an update to a software extension is available and, if so, receiving update extension files.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein said determining comprises polling an extension catalog.

61. The method of claim 59, wherein said determining comprises polling an extension catalog comprising an XML file.

62. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to implement the method of claim 55.

63. A method comprising:

describing one or more software extensions using one or more extensible markup language (XML) files, the extensions being configured for incorporation in a software program executing on a client;

associating the one or more XML files with one or more associated extension files that are useable to provide a program functionality; and

storing the XML files and associated extension files in a network-accessible location;

said acts of describing and associating being configured to provide software for delivery over the network.

64. A network site comprising:

one or more software extension files configured to be incorporated into a software application program, the software extension files being configured to allow delivery of software via a network; and

one or more files associated with the one or more software extension files and describing the extension files, the one or more files describing a logical attachment of the one or more software extension files to the software application program.

65. The network site of claim 64, wherein the hierarchical language comprises extensible markup language (XML).

66. A method of managing network-based software extensions comprising:

grouping multiple software extension descriptions in a catalog in a network-accessible location to enable delivery of software via a network;

accessing the network-accessible location; and

using the catalog to update a software extension that is resident on a computing device.

67. The method of claim 66 further comprising querying the catalog to ascertain an extension description.

68. The method of claim 66 further comprising querying the catalog based on a user'"'"'s personal setting.

69. The method of claim 66, wherein the extension descriptions are defined in XML.

70. A method comprising:

describing one or more software extensions using an extension definition file comprising an XML file that logically describes an extension, the extension definition file having an open schema that can permit the software extensions to be extended, the extension definition file having one or more predefined tags individual ones of which being associated with feature types of a software extension, the schema having an outer encompassing tag having one or more of the following attributes;

a urn attribute that identifies an extension, a name attribute that can be used in a user-visible display, a version attribute that describes a version number for the extension, an update attribute that describes when an extension definition file was modified last, and a description attribute that describes an associated extension, the extensions being configured for incorporation in a software platform executing on a client; and

delivering the extension definition file to the client via a network, the extension definition files being configured for use in downloading associated software extensions via the network;

said acts of describing and delivering being configured to enable software to be delivered over the network.